Chapter 68: A Strange Spectacle, Yang Mi Goes to Complain to Liu Yifei!

"Why are you here again, and again, and again!"
"Do you treat our crew's set like your own home?"
"Do you know what the crew staff call you now?"
"An unofficial, external member of the Dream of the Red Chamber crew!"
Yang Mi quickly walked up to Zhang Li, her face full of disdain.
Previously, when Zhang Li said he wanted to visit her on set, he waited a whole month before actually coming.
But after coming once and getting to know actresses like Li Qin and Zhao Liying, he started showing up several times a week.
He was clearly using the excuse of visiting her just to come here and "flirt with the flowers"!
"An external member is an external member, it's not a shameful title anyway." Zhang Li, who was deeply engaged in a conversation about Kunqu Opera with Li Qin, raised his eyes and replied calmly, "I'm here to visit Liying today, Sister Mi, you really can't manage me."
Yang Mi's chest heaved with anger, her hands clenched into fists, and she had the urge to rush forward and give Zhang Li a couple of thumps.
If this brat had just insisted every time that he came to visit her, she wouldn't be nearly as angry as she was now.
"Do you believe I'll tell Yifei about this?" Yang Mi resorted to a threat.
"Mimi, they are genuinely learning Kunqu Opera, I'm watching right here." Zhao Liying, who was sitting to the side and earnestly eating an egg tart, spoke up to testify, "You have nothing to complain about even if you tell on him."
Yang Mi almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
Wasn't this supposed to be her top-tier connection?
They constantly spoke up for Zhang Li and could be bought off with just a bit of food!
"Go ahead and call." Zhang Li waved his hand indifferently, "That threat doesn't scare me."
"Fine, you asked for it." Yang Mi had her assistant bring her phone and dialed Liu Yifei's number.
"Hello, Mimi." Liu Yifei's voice quickly came through the phone.
"Xixi, Ali keeps coming to our crew's set. You know there are so many young beauties here, aren't you going to keep him in check?" Yang Mi spoke without hesitation, "Let me tell you, there's more than one or two people who like him."
"I know about that." Liu Yifei changed her pose and continued stretching her legs, "Ali tells me every time he goes. He's learning Kunqu Opera from Li Qin on your set to play the role of Bai Xiaonian. What is there for me to manage about that?"
In fact, Liu Yifei simply had confidence in herself.
She was Liu Yifei, after all; how could Zhang Li possibly choose not to pick her and instead look for someone inferior outside?
Unless Zhang Li was extremely playboyish, in which case her trying to manage him would be useless anyway. After all, there were so many people in the entertainment industry, and which of those big shots didn't have a red flag standing strong at home while colorful flags fluttered wildly outside?
If that were the case, she would have to mentally prepare herself instead: make a clean break when necessary and remain just friends.
Yang Mi: "..."
Zhang Li had actually told Liu Yifei in advance. No wonder he was so bold and fearless.
"I just think he comes to our set way too frequently." Yang Mi still refused to give up.
"That just shows he is eager to learn." Liu Yifei massaged her neck, "With you keeping an eye on him, what bad things could he possibly do?"
"That's true. Then I'll just keep an eye on him for you." Yang Mi had no choice but to give up, though she still didn't forget to "borrow an imperial edict to issue an arrow" at the end.
"Then I'll leave it to you." Liu Yifei cooperated fully.
After hanging up the phone, Yang Mi stared at Zhang Li and said, "You heard it too, Yifei asked me to keep you in line."
"Please go right ahead." Zhang Li shrugged indifferently, turned his head to look at Li Qin, and said, "Qinqin, let's continue the lesson. I feel like I can reach the standard for stage performance very soon."
There were so many pretty young ladies here, and every single one of them spoke with such sweet voices.
He hated himself for coming too late—if he had a reason to come, why shouldn't he?
However, coming so frequently was indeed for the sake of mastering Kunqu Opera.
He discovered that every time he studied, as long as he activated the "Bai Xiaonian Role Buff," his learning speed would increase infinitely.
It felt like walking down a path he had already traveled once before, eliminating the need for any pioneering work, just accelerating forward in big strides.
"Mm!"
Li Qin smiled brightly, passing on all her knowledge to Zhang Li without reservation.
She had also just passed her eighteenth birthday not long ago, and her way of thinking was very simple.
She knew Kunqu Opera, and Zhang Li was a friend who needed to learn, so she would help him out.
Moreover, she felt that Zhang Li's talent was even greater than her own.
[Effective duration of Kunqu Opera instruction given to Zhang Li: Kunqu singing technique +1, Guimen Dan demeanor +1]
Dozens of minutes later, when Zhang Li felt the role-immersion buff fade away, he immediately stopped his futile studying.
At that moment, a voice suddenly echoed in both his and Li Qin's minds.
"Auditory hallucination?"
Li Qin's expression froze as she blinked in bewilderment.
And every trace of her expression was caught by Zhang Li, who understood immediately in his heart.
[Li Qin's reaction to you... Kunqu singing technique +1, Jinsheng demeanor +1]
"Jinsheng... then what Li Qin gained was Guimen Dan demeanor?" Zhang Li guessed inwardly.
There are many classifications of Dan roles in Kunqu Opera. Du Liniang, whom Li Qin was best at and had portrayed to win the Golden Flower Award, was a Guimen Dan, primarily portraying unmarried young women, young ladies of noble families, or modest maidens from ordinary households.
The Jinsheng role corresponding to the Guimen Dan refers to romantic scholars who have not yet obtained an official position or reached adulthood; they are young, handsome male characters wearing square scarves or ceremonial caps, hence called "Jinsheng" (Scholar of the Cloth).
"Qinqin has taught me so many times, and the reward only comes now."
"I wonder what the evaluation criteria are."
A thought flashed through Zhang Li's mind, but he didn't dwell on it too much.
Today had been immensely fruitful. Although his Kunqu Opera proficiency hadn't reached the level of a master, it was already completely sufficient to support him in playing the role of "Bai Xiaonian" well.
"Qinqin, thank you so much." Zhang Li expressed his gratitude solemnly, "When I play the role of Bai Xiaonian well in the future, you will deserve a share of the credit."
"Why are you being so polite?" Li Qin's smile was very sweet as she raised her hand and shook it, "Didn't you give me such an expensive watch?"
At first, she only thought the watch looked nice, but later when she looked it up online, she realized it was a luxury brand worth several thousand yuan.
Her first reaction at the time was to return the watch, as it was simply too valuable.
However, the reply she got after contacting Zhang Li was: "If you return the watch to me, I won't have the face to keep asking you for guidance, and I still have a lot more to learn later."
In the end, she had no choice but to keep the watch, but she became even more serious during their lessons.
"Business is business." Zhang Li glanced at his watch and smiled, "Are you free tonight? Can I treat you to dinner?"
A trace of temptation flickered in Li Qin's eyes, but she felt that going out to dinner alone with Zhang Li might not be quite appropriate.
"Me! Me! Me~" Zhao Liying's big eyes lit up as she raised her hand.
How could they possibly go eat something delicious without including her?
"Then I'll go together with Sister Liying?" Li Qin asked.
"Alright." Zhang Li nodded, "An extra person makes it livelier."
Zhao Liying smiled brightly and joined the conversation.
Yang Mi, sitting to the side: "..."
Could this brat not see such a big... person like her right here?
In the end, Yang Mi was naturally called along as well, along with Kan Qingzi.
"Cheers."
The five of them finished a meal that lasted for several hours.
As it approached nine o'clock, Zhang Li drove the four women back to the hotel.
After the others got out of the car, Yang Mi, sitting in the front passenger seat, turned to look at Zhang Li: "Ali, tomorrow is Tangtang's birthday."
"Shi Shi and I are throwing her a birthday celebration, are you coming along?"
Zhang Li: "..."
Celebrating Tang Yan's birthday together with Liu Shishi...
That mental image was too wonderful; he didn't dare to imagine it.